Low Colour and Resolution Crisis

[Guest]

I don't know what's going on.

Yesterday my computer was fine - working on 1024x768 with excellent colours.

I switch it on today and I'm down to 800x600 and a Lowest(4 Bit) colour,
which cannot be changed via the Display Properties.

How can I get my view back as this is highly annoying and surely bad for the
eyes?

 

[Chuck]

It is very likely that something occurred that caused the computer to use
the default SVGA driver supplied with windows instead of the correct video
card drivers.
The general process is to verify that there is no virus or other malware
present, then see what specific actions are needed to remove and reinstall
your video card drivers. It also may be that reverting to a previous
configuration dated before the problem will solve the issue.

Since you failed to give any useful details concerning your system hardware
and what might of occurred between the system booting and working
correctly, and not having the correct resolution, it's very difficult to go
beyond generalities.

 

[Guest]

Since you failed to give any useful details concerning your system hardware
and what might of occurred between the system booting and working
correctly, and not having the correct resolution, it's very difficult to go
beyond generalities.

- Pretty hard to when I dont have a clue! Its Packard Bell iXtreme 9100 i
running on Windows XP.

It also may be that reverting to a previous configuration dated before the
problem will solve the issue.

- How do I do this?

 

[Guest]

Simply boot into Safe Mode, make the necesary changes from there and reboot...

 

[Guest]

Simply boot into Safe Mode, make the necesary changes from there and reboot...

- Cannot do this. In SAFE Mode, the colour loads properly - but screen size
stll wrong. You can move the bar in display properties - however clicking
OK/Apply does nothing.

On reboot, the colour and screen size are still wrong.

 

[Guest]

Wow its funny how there is always someone out there who is having the same
problem as yourself. I am experiencing the same problem as Andrew... I am
running on XP and my screen size has jumped down to 640x480. I went to
Display options and drag the pixel bar over, but either A.) It won't stay on
the correct setting or
B.) If it stays on the correct setting when I click apply nothing happens,
the screen doesnt flicker nothing...
I usually keep my settings on 800x600 and 32 bit color, but as of now it
is on 640x480 and 4bit color! However, this is the second occurence of this
happening. The first time was like a week ago and after running AdAware
(finding 5 files) and removing them, I was able to adjust the display
settings. But one fateful day I turned my comp on and everything was to hell
again. Of course, I ran AdAware but that didnt solve it this time. I'm not
sure where to proceed from here, I guess I will try to revert the pc back to
a former date and see what happens.... Any other hot ideas would be
appreciate.
Thanks,
Jswage

 

[Malke]

Wow its funny how there is always someone out there who is having the
same
problem as yourself. I am experiencing the same problem as Andrew...
I am
running on XP and my screen size has jumped down to 640x480. I went
to Display options and drag the pixel bar over, but either A.) It
won't stay on the correct setting or
B.) If it stays on the correct setting when I click apply nothing
happens, the screen doesnt flicker nothing...
I usually keep my settings on 800x600 and 32 bit color, but as of
now it
is on 640x480 and 4bit color! However, this is the second occurence
of this
happening. The first time was like a week ago and after running
AdAware (finding 5 files) and removing them, I was able to adjust the
display
settings. But one fateful day I turned my comp on and everything was
to hell
again. Of course, I ran AdAware but that didnt solve it this time.
I'm not sure where to proceed from here, I guess I will try to revert
the pc back to a former date and see what happens.... Any other hot
ideas would be appreciate.
Thanks,
Jswage

It is always better *not* to hijack someone else's thread, even if you
feel the problem is similar. It makes it hard to give good advice to
both people.

If both of you are 100% sure your computers are spyware and virus-free,
then the next step is to reinstall your video card drivers. How you do
this will depend on what video card you have. For instance, iIf you
have an Nvidia, you will go to www.nvidia.com, get the new drivers,
then uninstall the current drivers from Add/Remove Programs. Reboot,
reinstall the new drivers, reboot. Fix your resolution. If you have a
different video card, go to the card mftr.'s website, get the drivers
and read their uninstallation/installation instructions.


If reinstalling the drivers takes care of the issue, great. If it
doesn't, your video card may be failing. Swap in a known-working one
and if the problem goes away, you know it's time to replace the
original card. If this is all too much - you aren't comfortable working
with hardware or you don't have a spare video card lying around - then
take the machine to a good local repair shop (not a BestBuy or CompUSA
type of store) and have them fix it.

Good luck,

Malke

 

[Cymbal Man Freq.]

I had the same problem on a Win 98SE machine this evening. There was a radio
button in Advanced Display setting properties to apply the change on reboot
instead applying the changes without rebooting. Of course, I had used the TV
display on one of the user profiles for the first time in quite awhile this
afternoon. I did not anticipate this kind of display problem on a bootup this
evening though. Maybe some clutter on the internet is attacking display
properties?

 

[Alex Nichol]

I don't know what's going on.

Yesterday my computer was fine - working on 1024x768 with excellent colours.

I switch it on today and I'm down to 800x600 and a Lowest(4 Bit) colour,
which cannot be changed via the Display Properties.

One possibility: Start - Run and run MSConfig.exe

Look on the Boot.ini page to see if /BASEVIDEO has got selected; if so
uncheck, exit and reboot (and when a dialog says 'System Configuration'
check the 'don't show again' box and Exit)